Thai Coconut Chicken Soup (Tom Kha Gai)
ต้มข่าไก่ Tom Kha GaiSay it: tom KAH gai
Tom kha gai is Thailand's beloved coconut-galangal chicken soup from the central plains. It balances rich coconut milk with sour lime, salty fish sauce, and the aromatic heat of fresh galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves. Tender chicken and soft straw mushrooms simmer in a fragrant broth that is creamy, tangy, and gently spicy. Served with jasmine rice, it is a comforting one-pot meal, equally at home as a street-food bowl or a family dinner.
Thai Coconut Chicken Soup (Tom Kha Gai)
ต้มข่าไก่, Tom Kha Gai
Pronounced tom KAH gai
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains fish. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the soup
Method
Trim the tough outer leaves from the lemongrass, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces, and bruise lightly with the back of a knife. Thinly slice the galangal and tear the kaffir lime leaves. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces; halve the mushrooms if large.
In a medium pot, combine the coconut milk, chicken stock, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and bird's eye chilies. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally; do not let it boil hard or the coconut milk may separate.
Add the chicken and mushrooms. Return to a gentle simmer and cook until the chicken is opaque and just cooked through and the mushrooms are tender, 8–10 minutes, skimming any foam from the surface.
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the fish sauce and palm sugar; simmer for 2 minutes until the sugar dissolves.
Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Taste and adjust with more fish sauce for saltiness or lime juice for sourness.
Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
Regional variant: Tom Kha Het (ต้มข่าเห็ด) – Mushroom Coconut Soup
Replace the chicken with 2 cups (200 g) mixed mushrooms such as oyster, shiitake, and straw mushrooms; use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. Simmer the mushrooms until just tender, about 5–7 minutes, then finish with fish sauce, lime juice, and cilantro. For a vegan version, use soy sauce or salt in place of fish sauce.
Cook's notes
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, once the coconut milk is added; this prevents the broth from curdling and keeps it creamy.
- Use real galangal if possible; it has a piney, citrusy flavor that ginger cannot replicate. Dried galangal or prepared galangal paste are better substitutes than ginger.
- For a richer soup, replace the chicken stock with additional coconut milk or use coconut cream and reduce the stock to ½ cup (120 ml).
Serve with
Serve hot with steamed jasmine rice and a small dish of Thai chili paste (nam prik pao) on the side.
Make ahead and storage
Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat gently, adding a splash of coconut milk or stock, and refresh with lime juice and cilantro before serving.
